Please God More When You Do This

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” Matthew 18:19-20

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

God is pleased when His children pray, but God is more pleased when His children pray in fellowship. There’s nothing that will bind us together as a church more than praying together. If you’ve ever had a prayer partner, you know how your hearts are linked together.

There are times when the church prays and God seems to come down, and it’s glorious! It’s what we call “the fellowship of prayer.” This prayer is the prayer we see happening in Acts 12 when the church came together to pray for Peter.

Jesus had an “inner circle”—Peter, James and John. You need one, too. Every believer needs that special friend or group of friends you can call on at a moment’s notice—“in season, out of season”—to encourage and uplift you in prayer.

ACTION POINT

You need to be that go-to person for a fellow believer. If you have this fellowship in prayer, praise God. If not, ask Him to bring that prayer partner(s) into your life. Join together with other believers to pray this week.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What Makes God Proud

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

I want very much for God to say to me what he said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: “I am not ashamed to be called your God.”

As risky as it sounds, does this not really mean that God might actually be “proud” to be called my God? Fortunately this wonderful possibility is surrounded (in Hebrews 11:16) by reasons: one before and one after.

Take the one after, first: “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

The first reason he gives why he is not ashamed to be called their God is that he has done something for them. He made them a city — the heavenly city “whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). So, the first reason he is not ashamed to be called their God is that he has worked for them. Not the other way around.

Now, consider the reason he gives in the front. It goes like this: “They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.”

“Therefore” signals that a reason has just been given for why God is not ashamed to be called our God. The reason is their desire. They desire a better country — that is, a better country than the earthly one they live in; namely, a heavenly one where God is.

When we desire this heavenly city — this dwelling place of God — more than we desire all that this world can give, God is not ashamed to be called our God. When we make much of all that he promises to be for us, he is proud to be our God. This is good news.

So, open your eyes to the better country, the city of God that he has prepared for us, and let yourself desire it with all your heart. God will not be ashamed to be called your God.

John Piper 

June 4

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,

60 but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."

61 And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name."

62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.

64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him. - Luke 1:57-66

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. - Ephesians 2:11-22

25 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! 

26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! 

27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 

28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! 

29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 

30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 

31 I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! 

32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!  - Psalm 119:25-32

1 Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars.

3 And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row.

4 There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers.

5 All the doorways and windows had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

6 And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.

8 His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

9 All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court.

10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits.

11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar.

12 The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the LORD and the vestibule of the house.

13 And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre.

14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.

16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits.

17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital.

18 Likewise he made pomegranates in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital.

19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits.

20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital.

21 He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz.

22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.

24 Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast.

25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward.

26 Its thickness was a handbreadth, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.

27 He also made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.

28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames,

29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work.

30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each.

31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round.

32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.

33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast.

34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands.

35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it.

36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around.

37 After this manner he made the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands.

39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

40 Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the LORD:

41 the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars;

42 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars;

43 the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands;

44 and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

45 Now the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the LORD, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze.

46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.

47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence,

49 the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;

50 the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD. - 1 Kings 7

God, Do You Have Any Plan?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:8-9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Have you ever stood and watched an artist paint a picture? He starts putting his colors on canvas. He’s just splashing on the colors, mixing this one and that. You can almost hear him thinking, “A little more yellow here….”

And we say, “He’s so good—how does he do that?” Then suddenly he’ll dip his brush in some colors and go swoosh! across the canvas. We say, “Oh, you ruined it! You’ve really messed up. Let’s see how you get out of this!” Then a few more strokes, and suddenly it just comes together. It’s a masterpiece!

Sometimes we look at what God does the same way. As He puts His colors on the canvas, we look and say, “Lord, you’re really doing well.” Then all of a sudden God goes swoosh. “Lord! You’ve messed things up! How did You let this happen?” Have you ever felt that way? Yes, you have, and so have I.

When I watch an artist at work, it may not make sense to me, but it makes sense to him. And just because things are not making sense to you, do not think that they don’t make sense. In Acts 12 we see Herod’s ungodly power, James’ death, then Peter’s release. Yet all of these things are working together. We call that the sovereignty of God. It is the providence of God. God sees the end from the beginning. In spite of the worst that man can do, God always has a plan.

ACTION POINT

In Acts 12 in your Bible, write in the margin Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Faith for the Impossible

He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20–21)

Paul has in mind a special reason why faith glorifies God’s future grace. Simply put, the reason is that this God-glorifying faith is a future-oriented confidence in God’s integrity and power and wisdom to follow through on all his promises.

Paul illustrates this faith with Abraham’s response to the promise of God: that he would be the father of many nations even though he was old and his wife was barren (Romans 4:18). “In hope he believed against hope,” that is, he had faith in the future grace of God’s promise, in spite of all human evidences to the contrary.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:19–21)

The faith of Abraham was a faith in the promise of God to make him the father of many nations. This faith glorified God because it called attention to all the omnipotent, supernatural resources of God that would be required to fulfill it.

Abraham was too old to have children, and Sarah was barren. Not only that: How do you turn a son or two into “many nations,” which God said Abraham would be the father of? It all seemed totally impossible.

Therefore, Abraham’s faith glorified God by being fully assured that he could and would do the humanly impossible. This is the faith we are called to have. That God will do for us what we could never do for ourselves.

John Piper 

June 3

1 King Solomon was king over all Israel,

2 and these were his high officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest;

3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

4 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

5 Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king's friend;

6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

7 Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each man had to make provision for one month in the year.

8 These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-hanan;

10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher);

11 Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean that is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam;

13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);

14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife);

16 Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan. And there was one governor who was over the land.

20 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.

21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal,

23 ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.

24 For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him.

25 And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.

26 Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen.

27 And those officers supplied provisions for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon's table, each one in his month. They let nothing be lacking.

28 Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds they brought to the place where it was required, each according to his duty.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore,

30 so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.

32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.

33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish.

34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. - 1 Kings 4

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David.

2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram,

3 "You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune.

5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.'

6 Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

7 As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, "Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people."

8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber.

9 My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household."

10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired,

11 while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.

12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men.

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft.

15 Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country,

16 besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

17 At the king's command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones.

18 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house. - 1 Kings 5

17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. 

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 

19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! 

20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. 

21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. 

22 Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. 

23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. 

24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.  - Psalm 119:17-24

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:1-10

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,

40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 

50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 

51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 

52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 

53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.  - Luke 1:39-53

Can You See God Working?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Then he [Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also” (Acts 12:2-3).“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”

Romans 8:28

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

What do you do in times of crisis? One thing we all must do, before we panic or sin against God, is respect the mystery of God’s providence.

Throughout the pages of His Word, you’re going to see the hidden hand of God, working in mysterious, inexplicable ways. God is in the shadows, arranging things, moving things people cannot see.

That may be true in your life right now. God is working, but you cannot see Him working. You may be in the middle of chaos right now. Nothing seems to be making sense. Everything you thought you had nailed down is coming loose, and the devil is pulling nails.

Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Many of us have questions. As we look at Acts 12, we say, “Well, how could God let a rascal like Herod be the king anyway? Isn’t God, God? If I were God, I’d turn him into a frog. And why should James be killed, yet Peter be released? Does God have favorites? Has He lost control?”

ACTION POINT

We do not live by explanations. Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. Just because today you cannot see the hand of God working doesn’t mean God is not working. Step back and see the hidden hand of God.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers